Thanks NiteTrain!!!

[The Stig]

On Saturday morning, my wife and I were having a cup of coffee, and I received a call from one of my Forum Buddies. David Pryor (NiteTrain) called to let me know that he was in Charlotte for the Sprint Cup All-Star Race. So I'm thinking, Wow, that's a long way to go for a NASCAR Race, since he lives in Oklahoma. Then he said that he and a few of his buddies were doing the Fly-Over at the start of the race. I'm thinking that this is pretty cool stuff! The Fly-Over has become one of the coolest ways to start an event, and yet the pilots always remain anonymous to everyone who sees it. Now I find out that one of my friends is actually part of it.

Dave mentioned that he'd really like to come by and see what I've done with the GTM. I met Dave a year or so ago when he bought one of my transaxles to use in his GTM build, so I thought it would be cool to have him stop by and catch up.

So next, Dave asked whether or not I was planning to go to the All-Star Race, and said that he had Four tickets/Infield Passes that I could have if I wanted to use them. My wife and I thought it would be cool to see if our neighbor (Ralph) and his two sons would be interested in going to the Race and hang out in the pits. Ralph, is helping me finish up the wiring on my GTM, and has done a phenomenal job of it. Ralph's the guy in the neighborhood, that can pretty much do whatever he sets his mind to. He's currently helping with a landscape and irrigation project in my back yard. He's a great neighbor and a good friend. Because of his and David Borden's help, I'm regaining some interest in getting the car wrapped up once and for all...

Ralph has two son's and a daughter. His youngest son is Adam, and he has cerebral palsy. He's pretty much bound to his wheel chair, but to be honest, this guy can do pretty much anything that he wants to. He attends school where he's studying Golf course management and landscaping, plays golf, and tennis on a regular basis. He's a big time Nascar and Drag Racing fan with his favorite drivers being Jimmy Johnson and Tony Schumacher; both of whom he's met personally on various occasions. He met Jimmy Johnson and Casey Mears at the PGA Pro-Am golf tournament that Wells Fargo Bank sponsors here at Quail Hollow Country Club. He met Tony Schumacher in the Pits at Z-Max Dragway (a couple of times) during the drag races here in Charlotte.

Well, Thanks to "NiteTrain" and "Rock", we were able to help Adam meet one of his racing heroes on Saturday Night at the track. Jimmy Johnson ended up winning the Sprint Cup All-Star race, and with the exclusive access that we were given, (by the passes that Dave gave us), Adam was brought front and center in victory lane, and had his picture taken with Jimmy during the Celebration! That was pretty cool stuff. He was even able to hold the Million Dollar prize "Check" in the picture.

I'm attaching a few pictures that I took throughout the afternoon & night...

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb94/jmichaelbaskin/Nascar Allstar race 2012/DSC_1795.jpg
Dave (NiteTrain), Adam, and David (Rock).


Dave and Friends... (Rock is flying the lead plane).
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb94/jmichaelbaskin/Nascar Allstar race 2012/DSCN0642.jpg

Jimmy Johnson's pit stall, and crew.
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb94/jmichaelbaskin/Nascar Allstar race 2012/DSCN0630.jpg

Adam was able to hang out with the crew of the #48 team. In the picture are his older brother Ralph, and his Dad (and my friend) Ralph.

[riptide motorsport]

that is just fantastic!!!!!!!!! Life is good!!

[The Stig]

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb94/jmichaelbaskin/Nascar Allstar race 2012/DSCN0646.jpg
Adam is also a huge fan of the Sprint Cup Girls. He didn't get her number, but she did sign his cap.

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb94/jmichaelbaskin/Nascar Allstar race 2012/DSCN0631.jpg
Meanwhile... Back at the ranch, we caught a couple of the crew gluing the lug nuts onto the wheels just before the race. They actually came around with a hand full of lug nuts for Adam to take home with him.

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb94/jmichaelbaskin/Nascar Allstar race 2012/DSCN0632.jpg

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb94/jmichaelbaskin/Nascar Allstar race 2012/DSCN0635.jpg
Back at the hauler, more members of the crew came out to take some pictures.

A couple of shots in the Sprint Cup Garage.
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb94/jmichaelbaskin/Nascar Allstar race 2012/DSCN0639.jpg

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb94/jmichaelbaskin/Nascar Allstar race 2012/DSCN0637.jpg

[The Stig]

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb94/jmichaelbaskin/Nascar Allstar race 2012/DSCN0650.jpg
Johnson's burn out... It was actually kind of cool. He picked up the checkered flag from the flag man as he drove by while still doing the burn out.

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb94/jmichaelbaskin/Nascar Allstar race 2012/DSCN0654.jpg
Jimmy & Chad in Victory Lane.

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb94/jmichaelbaskin/Nascar Allstar race 2012/DSCN0655.jpg
Woo Hoo... $1,000,000.00

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb94/jmichaelbaskin/Nascar Allstar race 2012/5-21-20121-42-32PM-1.jpg
Team mate and Team owner, Jeff Gordon congratulating the 48 team.

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb94/jmichaelbaskin/Nascar Allstar race 2012/DSCN0661.jpg
Champagne Bath

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb94/jmichaelbaskin/Nascar Allstar race 2012/DSCN0659.jpg
NiteTrain and friends were personally invited by Rick Hendrick to come up on stage to join in the celebration. (Rick is standing right behind Dave in this picture).

We were then invited by one of the Hendrick PR guys, to have our pictures made with Jimmy.
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb94/jmichaelbaskin/Nascar Allstar race 2012/5-21-20121-37-39PM.jpg
Adam, Me, Ralph, and Jimmy (obviously)...

[The Stig]

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb94/jmichaelbaskin/Nascar Allstar race 2012/5-21-20121-58-08PM.jpg
The Hendrick PR guy took these pictures of us with Jimmy... However, he cut Jimmy out of this one,
as well as Ralph "Jr" on the other side... :rolleyes: Go figure...



http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb94/jmichaelbaskin/Nascar Allstar race 2012/DSCN0666.jpg

Here's Adam with David "Rock" on the far left. Sorry, I don't have the next pilot's name. Next to him is Scott Adrens. Next is "Nike", and then Dave "NiteTrain" Pryor on the far Right.

Ralph told me that for Adam, being able to meet the Pilots of the Jets that flew over to start the race was equally as huge as being able to meet Jimmy Johnson in victory lane. NiteTrain, you guys apparently have a new fan!


NiteTrain,
I really appreciate your offer of the passes for the race. Thank you to you and David (Rock) for all that you did for us.
It really helped a good kid, feel like a Rock Star. Ralph told me that he's still pumped about the night.

Something tells me that this was a night that he won't soon forget.

[riptide motorsport]

I repeat.............TOO COOL!!!

[Tpa65cpe]

WOW!! Too cool! I just can't imagine the look on his face "PRICELESS" Stig you did your good deed for the year with that one!! "Definitely paying it forward" heep it up!!

[Kalstar]

Monday morning, and my week is already made. Thx for posting this, I'll have a spring in my step all day.

[VD2021]

Outstanding! What a way to spend the week end.

Good things happen to Good People.......

[Joe Mush]

Thanks for sharing you put a smile on a Monday morning start.

[The Stig]

WOW!! Too cool! I just can't imagine the look on his face "PRICELESS" Stig you did your good deed for the year with that one!! "Definitely paying it forward" keep it up!!

The GTM community (and the Factory Five Forum) is full of people who instinctively do nice things for others. I can't count the number of times when I've posted that I needed a part number so I could order a part, and someone here would ship the part to me at no cost, because they either had an extra, or weren't planning to use it. I've tried to do the same as much as possible, in one way or another.

Had it not been for "NiteTrain" & "Rock" being as generous as they were to offer the passes to us, we couldn't have done this for Ralph & Adam. I've been to races over and over, but this was a blast to be able to share it this way. Seeing Adam get so excited that he almost comes out of his wheel chair just made me laugh out loud. It's a cool thing.

Of course, I'm not sure if it was because of the race cars, or the Sprint-Cup Girl. They both got pretty much the same reaction from him. :cool:

The next day, Ralph told me that Adam said to him that he wasn't sure that he wanted to go to the Race next week-end now (Coca-Cola 600).

When I asked why, he said that Adam figures that there is no way that it could be any better than the All-Star race.

I've gotta tell you, that felt pretty good to hear.

As you said, "Life is good"!

[crash]

You've brought a tear to my eye Stig.

Great job!!

[Jeff Collins]

Wow, what a great story and weekend. Thanks for sharing.

[LS MAN]

This is what it's all about. Awesome deal all around. Hope this story reaches far past this forum.

[kabacj]

Wonderful story Stig.

I find I meet the best folks as part of this car hobby.

Clearly you have met some truly great people and made the world better as a result of those relationships.

BTW excellent story telling as well.

Thanks for posting.

John

[Jacob McCrea]

A wonderful story indeed; very enjoyable and heartwarming to read this at the end of a long day.

[fact5racer]

You the man Mike! Good Job!

[terpstra]

I love reading these kind of stories. It makes you feel good and want to pass on something to someone else.

[David Hodgkins]

Great story!! Thanks so much for sharing. Stories like this one are the epitome of community.

Well done David!

:)

[Nitetrain]

Mike,

Once again, it was a pleasure to see you and your wife. The GTM looks great and you are so close to driving it daily.

We made the flight home on Sunday, and on the way I was trying to figure out how to tell Michelle about our experience. Your pictures do a better job.

I like to call my garage “A salute to all things manly”. I love to collect tools, the GTM makes me smile and I have my favorite art work on the walls. I like to think that each piece of art says something about me, or who I hope to be. One painting is of my amazing Grandparents. The lived a pure life, worked hard and loved each other until Grandpa was 97 and Grandma made it to 101. I like to believe I am as tough as my Grandpa and work half as hard as he did. I have a painting of Kramer from Seinfeld. I like to think I am funny, but nope! One of my favorites is of Westley Autry, who is know as the “Subway Superhero”. He reminds me that everyone will be called on to be a hero one day. We don’t get to chose the time and place…we just have to be ready and willing to answer the call. I also have a great oil of Einstein that I bought in Thailand. Well, the smart train left the station a few years ago and left a few boxcars of bad decisions, but I still try.

My next addition will be the picture of You, Adam and Ralph with the $1million check. The look on Adams face just cracks me up and brings a tears to my eyes. That brother has great energy and is just fun to be around. It will remind me to take more time to be good to people. It was a pleasure being a little part of that event.

Now get back in the garage and finish that thing.

Live to fly…

Dave

[LCD Gauges]

Nitetrain for Prez!

Just from this short thread I can already tell that Dave is the type of person to take the shirt from his back to help someone.

Maybe one day I'll show you how to fly one of those fighters...can't be that difficult to handle 8g's huh? :p

[The Stig]

Mike,

Once again, it was a pleasure to see you and your wife. The GTM looks great and you are so close to driving it daily.

We made the flight home on Sunday, and on the way I was trying to figure out how to tell Michelle about our experience. Your pictures do a better job.

I like to call my garage “A salute to all things manly”. I love to collect tools, the GTM makes me smile and I have my favorite art work on the walls. I like to think that each piece of art says something about me, or who I hope to be. One painting is of my amazing Grandparents. The lived a pure life, worked hard and loved each other until Grandpa was 97 and Grandma made it to 101. I like to believe I am as tough as my Grandpa and work half as hard as he did. I have a painting of Kramer from Seinfeld. I like to think I am funny, but nope! One of my favorites is of Westley Autry, who is know as the “Subway Superhero”. He reminds me that everyone will be called on to be a hero one day. We don’t get to chose the time and place…we just have to be ready and willing to answer the call. I also have a great oil of Einstein that I bought in Thailand. Well, the smart train left the station a few years ago and left a few boxcars of bad decisions, but I still try.

My next addition will be the picture of You, Adam and Ralph with the $1million check. The look on Adams face just cracks me up and brings a tears to my eyes. That brother has great energy and is just fun to be around. It will remind me to take more time to be good to people. It was a pleasure being a little part of that event.

Now get back in the garage and finish that thing.

Live to fly…

Dave

Wow... Thank you Dave. I don't know what to say. Nothing that I can think of seems adequate, except to simply say Thank You my friend.


Take Care,

Mike

[Kempo]

Great story. This is the kind of thing that separates this community from the rest of the forums I have been part of. Building the GTM its been a unique experience being able to be part of this community is equally unique. Thanks for sharing.

[Nitetrain]

I have not been back here in a while and miss this group. It has been about 10 years since I built my GTM. The whole reason I wanted to build one was so I could get smarter on LS engines and transaxle so I could use those skills to build a buggy for the Baja 1000. I ended up building a 1978 Jeep J10, but still called on many skills I learned here. The video below is the last video for the 2020 race. Huge thanks to the guys in this group for selflessly giving time and build instructions to guys like me. You were part of my GTM dream and the Baja 1000. Hope you like the video.


https://youtu.be/jPjXZMKFx3M